In conversation with the Finnish Institutes: Returning home

ONLINE DISCUSSION.

Eeva-Kristiina Nylander | Sámi Museum Siida, Inari
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Tietmeyer | Museum of European Cultures – National Museums in Berlin
Mikko Fritze | The Finnish Institute in Germany, Berlin

Moderation: Monica Gathuo

In the fifth session of In conversation with the Finnish institutes we discuss repatriation of cultural artifacts and the meaning of it, especially to the Sámi community. We examine the ways in which cultural institutions, art spaces and museums are part of the decolonial processes and have dialogue with minoritised groups and individuals.

This seminar is the fifth installment of a 6-part discussion series called In Conversation with the Finnish Institutes hosted by the Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes in the Benelux, Berlin, New York, Oslo, Paris, and the UK + Ireland. Each of the 6 discussions, which take place online from October 2021 until June 2022, focusses on different subject matters from decolonisation to Sámi arts and culture.

Eeva-Kristiina Harlin is an archeologist from the University of Helsinki and osteoarchaeologist from the University of Stockholm. She is currently finalising her thesis From repatriation to rematriation – Sámi heritage and the change of paradigm at the University of Oulu, Giellagas Institute (Institute for Saami Studies) in Finland. She has worked with themes such as Sámi cultural heritage, research ethics and repatriation questions together with the Sámi society for a long time. Currently she works with the new permanent exhibition for Sámi museum SIIDA and she also was a member of the working group of the joint repatriation exhibition between SIIDA and the National Museum of Finland. In addition to her scientific articles, she has launched a book Ládjogahpir – Máttaráhkuid gábagahpir in 2020 together with Sámi artist Outi Pieski which presents in book form the past, future and present stories of the Sámi horn hat – the ládjogahpir – and the rematriation of its existence, use, making and wearing.

Elisabeth Tietmeyer is the director of the Museum of European Cultures – National Museums in Berlin (Museum Europäischer Kulturen – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin). Having studied Social Anthropology, European Ethnology and Sociology she conducted ethnographical fieldwork in Kenya, Ukraine and Germany. Her museum’s activities and research focus on topics like diversity, (forced) migration, cultural entanglements, gender, and im/material culture (e.g. Glances into Fugitive Lives 2016, Material Culture and Identity. On the history and ethnography of the Crimean Tatars … 2017, What’s Missing? Collecting and Exhibiting Europe 2021). Some of her projects have been funded by different EU programmes. Amongst other consulting activities she is a member of the expert committee of the German UNESCO commission on Intangible Cultural Heritage.